Glitches cancel several go! trips

"I believe we canceled three or four flights," said Joe Bock, go! airlines spokesman.

Bock did not know how many passengers were bumped or details about the mechanical problem, but said the airline would accommodate passengers on other flights.

Go! operates five planes that all fly through different airports throughout the day. Bock did not know the origin of the flights that were affected.

"One (plane) being down would cause a bit of a problem just because we have so few aircraft and we operate so many flights," Bock said. The airline operates an average of 60 flights a day with a fleet of 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 jets.

He said go! passengers flying today can expect to fly out as scheduled.

"We will be operating again at full capacity shortly," he said.

Mesa Air Group, parent of go! airlines, is fighting a lawsuit by Hawaiian Airlines asking for $173 million in damages and a one-year injunction from flying because Hawaiian alleges it misused private information.

Many offices close for holiday

Federal offices, post offices and most banks are closed today in observance of Columbus Day, a federal holiday celebrating the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in October 1492.

Most private schools are closed. Oahu public schools and some neighbor island schools are closed for students not for Columbus Day, but for fall break or a waiver day, a workday for teachers.

The University of Hawaii, state offices and most state attractions are open, as well as most city-related services, including TheBus and trash pickup. Public services, including most libraries, the Hawaiian Humane Society and municipal golf courses, are operating. Regular street parking fees apply.

Police, Fire, Courts

Star-Bulletin staff

COURTESY PHOTO / NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
A Coast Guard Helicopter took off from Kipahulu Ranger Station yesterday.

Search for man in stream halted

Rescuers suspended a two-day search for a 27-year-old Kihei man who slipped or jumped Saturday afternoon into a rain-swollen stream in Kipahulu, Maui, that is closed to the public because of dangerous conditions.

Haleakala National Park officials are assuming Edward Charles Pedrick Jr., originally from Sicklerville, N.J., has died. He was last seen debating whether to jump into a section known by locals as "Point of No Return" off Pipiwai Trail in Oheo Gulch near Hana at about 3 p.m. Saturday.

Two friends tried to talk Pedrick out of jumping into Palikea Stream above Makahiku Falls. His friends continued along the trail, then heard a splash, said Haleakala National Park Operations Supervisor Kiefer Gier.

Park rangers conducted a hasty search at 3:30 p.m., Gier said. The Coast Guard searched the stream and adjacent seas, beginning at 10:40 p.m. Saturday and continued yesterday, suspending its operation at 4:15 p.m. The search covered a 45-square-mile area using helicopters from the Maui Police Department and the Coast Guard.

In the water, rescuers found a sandal Pedrick was said to be wearing, according to Gier.

Park officials say they will wait until water conditions calm down before sending in divers for a recovery mission.

There were no barriers blocking off the closed sections of the trail, but warning signs told hikers of dangerous swift currents. Swimming in Kipahulu has been banned for a month due to heavy rain.

WAIKIKI

Man allegedly hits victim with bottle

A 22-year-old Ewa Beach man was arrested early yesterday morning for allegedly throwing a beer bottle at another man's head during a fight at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Waikiki.

At about 1:20 a.m., police said, a 21-year-old man was trying to help another person being assaulted when the suspect, standing about five feet away, allegedly threw a bottle at his right temple, causing a cut.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault.

NORTH SHORE

Argument leads to alleged stabbing

A 23-year-old Haleiwa man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder Saturday after he allegedly stabbed a woman in the neck following an argument in Pupukea.

Police said that at 7:15 a.m. Saturday the man allegedly pulled a knife out of his pants pocket, grabbed the woman by her hair and stabbed the left side of her neck.

She was in stable condition, police said, and the man was arrested a few hours later at his home.

HONOLULU

Electrocuted man from Waimanalo

The Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office identified yesterday the 33-year-old Waimanalo man who was apparently electrocuted in a trucking accident in Waianae Valley as Aaron Pedro.

Pedro was lifting the trailer of a Kenworth tractor-trailer Saturday on Puhawai Road at about 4 p.m. to unload some gravel when the trailer hit a 12-kilovolt electrical line that fell onto the truck, authorities said.

Pedro jumped out of the truck and was electrocuted, police said. He was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and later died.

Dead body found with bag on head

The Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office said yesterday that it received the body of a woman found with a bag over her head.

An autopsy has been scheduled for tomorrow to determine if foul play or suicide is involved. The location of the discovery was not disclosed.

WAIMANALO

Visitor injures neck in water

A 77-year-old visitor from the mainland was in critical condition yesterday after he was found floating face down in the water off Waimanalo Bay State Recreational Area.

Emergency crews responded at about 4 p.m. to find the man with some kind of neck injury and brought him to shore, police said.

Lifeguards gave him medical attention, and paramedics took him to Castle Medical Center.